QLD club cricket team of the week revealed: Lord’s Taverners, Womens, Mens

Wests hit the finish line in fine fashion to take out the Lord’s Taverners premiership as we reveal our Premier Cricket Team of the Week. SEE WHO MADE IT.

The victorious Western Suburbs Lord's Taverners team.

Ian Healy Oval played host to a Grand Final showdown between Wests and Valley on Sunday, each team vying for the Lord’s Taverners premiership.

It was the brilliant batting of Jack Sonter and Michael Neumann along with the off-spin prowess of Kye Martin that broke Wests’ 10-year drought, an achievement coach David Lossberg said the whole club was extremely excited about.

“It’s fantastic to get the win. From the club’s point of view we’re ecstatic,’’ he said.

“It’s been 10 years and we see our role as producing grade cricketers.

“Get these kids and develop them, so the club can put them into the grades.

“It has been a real team effort, we couldn’t be happier. A lot of hard work, hours and time spent together.”

He said it had been a two-year process in the making.

“We’ve had this group of boys together for a while and I am extremely happy for them.”

“They put the hard work in and it has shown, coming together as a unit. We have a bunch of terrific cricketers.”

Norths get a wicket Norths versus Souths Saturday December 3, 2022. Picture, John Gass

The praise was high for the squad, which had “lots of guys coming back next year.”

“Ravijit Buttar was a valuable contributor, scoring a couple of 50s and 70s opening the batting,’’ he said.

“Kye Martin was outstanding for us. He came on, bowled dot balls, took crucial wickets at the right time and was very dominant.

“Young Sohaan Sharma chipped in and he’s only 16. He filled his role nicely in the last couple games.”

Lossberg also had high praise for Sonter and Daniel Skipwith, whom he said had really matured as batsmen throughout the season.

So, who else stood out over the weekend’s club cricket action?

See below for the Premier Cricket and Lord Taverner’s rundown with our team of the week.

THE PREMIER CRICKET WRAP

Valley batsman Jack Wildermuth University versus Valley Saturday December 3, 2022. Picture, John Gass

The Brisbane Heat were celebrating the successful return from injury of allrounder Jack Wildermuth, who completed a strong return from a quad complaint for Valley against University of Queensland to prove his fitness ahead of the opening rounds of the KFC Big Bash League next week.

Wildermuth paired with the recently announced Queensland Under-17 captain Hugh Weibgen for a 100 run third wicket partnership, before Weibgen was dismissed for 44 and Wildermuth for a well-made 92 to complement his 2-64 from 15 overs last weekend. Valley’s batters faced out the remaining overs of the day, with the match finishing a draw.

Ipswich batsman Levi Thompson-Mathews gets caught in the Ipswich versus Wests game. Picture, John Gass

Allrounders shone elsewhere as well, with Steve McGiffin providing an excellent double in Wests’ win over Ipswich Hornets. McGiffin had a match to remember, taking 4-22 and scoring 83no in the second innings to add to his century in the first. Wests scored 5d-201 in their second innings and Ipswich 0-18 before stumps were called.

After a restricted start due to a late return from playing overseas and injury, McGiffin has hit his straps in recent weeks as he reaches the sort of form that saw the Brisbane Heat snap him up as a replacement player in the BBL last season when a COVID outbreak sidelined most of the playing group.

Sunshine Coast allrounder Blake Maher was similarly effective for the Scorchers in their win over Toombul.

After scoring 76 in the first innings, Maher also did the damage with the ball returning figures of 4-43 as well as claiming a key run-out.

Ipswich Vs Wests on December 3. Picture, John Gass

Wynnum-Manly broke through for victory in the ‘battle of the baysiders’ against Sandgate-Redcliffe while Redlands, boosted by a tidy half century from Heat batsman Sam Heazlett, defeated Gold Coast.

Another display of big hitting by Heat hopeful Josh Brown added to his season highlight reel, with his quickfire 72 from 29 balls as the Vikings completed victory over South Brisbane.

In the Katherine Raymont Shield, the one-day format was highlighted by a stunning effort from WBBL Heat and Queensland Fire allrounder Charli Knott for University of Queensland.

Uni bowler Matt Wilkins University versus Valley. Picture, John Gass

Knott was in devastating touch with her off-breaks, running through the Sandgate-Redcliffe batters on the way to figures of 7-18 from 8.5 overs.

Valley opening batter Kira Holmes dominated with the bat for the second round in a row, with her 132 from 128 balls lifting her side to a strong total of 5-233 against Western Suburbs, which fought hard to reach 156 in reply.

A composed 74 from Gold Coast opener Tara Wheeler gave the Dolphins (167) the win over Wynnum-Manly (141) while a five wicket haul by Mahli Rea (5-27) set up victory for the Sunshine Coast over Ipswich.

The Hornets were dismissed for 161, with the Scorchers making a good fist of the chase to finish with 4-164 courtesy of a fine 78 not out by Emma McCord.

Elsewhere in the lower grades, a superb double hundred by Sam Vaughey completed a day of celebrations for Wests Sixth Grade team, which also saw veteran pace bowler Nic Purser claim his 600th wicket for the club as part of his haul of 5-24 against Toombul.

As well as Knott’s seven wicket, there were also seven-wicket hauls to a pair of Souths players, with Arlen Wells-Peris nabbing 7-50 in Second Grade against Norths and Myles Dennis claiming 7-58 against Valley in Fourth Grade.

University versus Valley. Picture, John Gass

Queensland Premier Cricket Team of the Week

1. Sam Vaughey – 201(155) - Western Suburbs – Men’s Sixth Grade

2. Kira Holmes – 132(128) – Valley – Women’s First Grade

3. Bailey Sewell – 143(286) – Gold coast – Men’s Second Grade

4. Jack Sonter – 90(127) – Western Suburbs – Lord Taverners U17

5. Steve McGiffin – 106(197), 83*(58) & 4/22 off 9 – Western Suburbs – Men’s First Grade

6. Adam Pearson – 161*(150) – Redlands – Men’s Fourth Grade

7. Charli Knott – 7/18 off 8.5 – University of QLD – Women’s First Grade

8. Arlen Wells-Peris – 69(135) & 7/50 off 14.5 – South Brisbane – Men’s Second Grade

9. Mahli Rea – 5/27 off 9 – Sunshine Coast – Women’s First Grade

10. Kye Martin – 4/17 off 10 – Western Suburbs – Lord Taverners U17 Competition

11. Myles Dennis – 7/58 off 19 – South Brisbane – Men’s Fourth Grade

Valley batsman Jack Wildermuth University versus Valley. Picture, John Gass

Lord’s Taverners Terrific Trio

Jack Sonter and Michael Neumann (Western Suburbs)

Could Sonter have stepped up any better? Surely not, the No.3 batsmen hitting 90 crucial runs after his openers fell cheaply in the early stages.

Neumann wasn’t far behind with 45 of his own, their partnership steering Wests’ to their first premiership in 10 years.

They both went at a strike rate of 70, and completely changed the game, from Valley having the upperhand to Wests sitting pretty with 211 runs to defend. Then, it was all Kye Martin.

Kye Martin (Western Suburbs)

Martin confirmed his selection in our Team of the Year on Sunday with an absolute bowling masterclass.

How’s this for Grand Final figures— 4/17 off 10.

He was unstoppable at one stage, dismissing two of his rivals for naught and another for just five. Why? He’s tall and gets plenty of bounce off the pitch.